“Supporting the Woman in Labor”

Birth Doula Workshop

A signature workshop, this two to three day training for birth doula certification with DONA International is in the form of a participative workshop with a lot of hands-on practice.

The WorkshopThe following topics are covered:

the significance of labor on a woman’s life

the role and impact of a doula

physical comfort measures to assist a woman during the different stages of labor

emotions of labor and doula support

the role of the doula in medicated labors, VBAC, and cesarean births

rehearsing difficult labor situations

prenatal and postpartum contact with the client

the doula and the partner

the newborn and breast feeding

running a doula business

the DONA certification process

Objectives: At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

describe the long term psychological impact of birth on women

describe the varying roles of the labor support person

describe the emotional needs of the laboring woman in both normal and difficult labors

demonstrate different comfort measures for labor

list ideas for managing practical matters when running a doula business

Prerequisites: This doula training workshop is designed for women interested in helping others have a positive birth experience. It is essential to have a basic knowledge of pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn. As a prerequisite, you must either attend a full series of childbirth education classes, or Penny’s “Introduction to Childbirth for Doulas" one-day training.